Thursday 31 March 2016

#DearMe

Hey lovely,
Last year I wrote to my 16 year old self, so I have already told you to Read more, Dance more, and Love more!

One of the things I've learnt is that some things about yourself will never change. You like to know you're doing things the right way, like the supervision and people walking you through your school work. That's just part of you. You will always ask questions and make sure you get it right the first time, that's a great quality. But try to be more confident, more often than not, you're on the right path already.

Don't get discouraged if you don't get what you envisioned straight away, you have a long life and career ahead of you. Take your time getting to your end goal.

You're about to finish up your teenage years with the kind of adventures that people only read about in books (Or more truthfully in scandalous articles/chic noir). Enjoy it and try not to regret any of it.

Let go of guilt where you can, I'm pretty sure it gives you wrinkles. And on that note: GOOD GOD GIRL MOISTURISE now.

You think that the friends you have now will last forever, you're right about some of them so make sure they know how important they are to you.

This might sounds like a bizzare tip to you now, but try learning Canotonese now. :P

Love,
G&T << Yeah that's new...

Read 2015 DearMe letter here.


Thursday 24 March 2016

February Reviews

It was a bad month for reading. I finished Lila at the start, and then moved on to Emma. I found both extremely tedious and they both took a long time. Although, They both deserve some plus points because I finished them and persevered.

I'm hoping that Easter Weekend is going to full of book reading! Bring on the weekend.


Lila
Marilynne Robinson
1/5
Virago 07/09/2014 Hardback
Christmas Haul
One of the Man Booker Shortlisted books this year should have wowed me. I'll agree that it was very beautifully written. I would say it was enjoyable to read, except that it was absolutely crammed with Christian references which I found alienating and uninteresting. I realise that this is the third in a trilogy, so that may account for some of the times I felt like this was just an extended round up.
There is nothing to the story except some religious musings and a few references to passed events. This one has nothing much going on.
It manages a single point because I did finish it. But I wish I hadn't and that it had joined my list of books not to waste my time on. Far too Biblical for my tastes, if I wanted someone thoughts on the old testament I'd go chat to a priest.

Emma
Jane Austen
2/5
Wordsworth Classics 1815 Paperback
Library
For the first time (in forever...) Jane Austen has let me down! Has anyone else felt this way about Emma? I loved Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, why did I stumble at the third hurdle? Well. I knew from the start that Emma is supposed to be magnificently unlikeable so that when she has her big transformation we all enjoy how much she's learnt.
Unfortunately, I just got bored waiting for her to come to her senses. and when she did it felt insincere somehow. one point for Jane Austen and another for finishing it, but there was not much else that I enjoyed about Emma. ranking as a firm third place out of the three I've read.
I still hope to read another one. Which one next?

Friday 18 March 2016

Books I Couldn't Finish

I might make this a continuous list because it often comes up. I do try to finish the books I read and give them every opportunity to prove themselves. But since leaving school and only reading for pleasure, the quality of books is becoming more important, not just the quantity.

This is a list of books that I have not been able to force myself to finish. I'll put the reasons below, but more than anything I just lose interest in the story. It is rarely because I hate the writing style, because I'd have put it back down immediately; if I can't get behind the style. It's a short list because I really try to finish all of the books I pick up. These are examples of the ones that I could not get on with.


One Hundred Years Of Solitude.
I've already written a review here but this is definitely on the top of my list for number one book I've given up on without regrets. There is no need to finish this book, my life is even improved for having put it down. Someone reviewed it and called it Dali in words... I mean, it was weird, but at least I can keep looking at Dali. I'd had enough of this book almost immediately when I realised it was going no where.

There Will Be Lies
This is teen fiction and the kind of thing that I imagine would have been amazing when I was younger but I lost interest fairly quickly. The narrator is done in the voice of the teenager and she is a modern teenager. I felt like I was cringing a fair bit at the style because of the characters voice. fair play to the author, who is a grown man, who managed to capture the brainless self absorption of a teenage girl.

Maggot Moon
UGH. Just who cares. It started as an easy read and just got weird and I lost interest really close to the end. If you're reading with a wrinkled up nose, PUT IT DOWN.

Umbrella
Now this is a little different, I'd like to finish Umbrella at some point but its a holiday read, a relaxed read and I feel like I need to curl up somewhere with leather chairs to enjoy it. Banking on a mini break at some point. Hint Hint.


What books did you give up on?

Thursday 10 March 2016

Questions for Book Lovers

TAG GAME!!!! These questions are taken from Hello, Abibliophobia and I thought they were really fun to answer. I've tagged a couple people to answer them next, I can't wait to see some of your answers.

1. What is the first book you read by yourself?
I cannot remember exactly, but maybe a horrible histories book? Or maybe one of the ladybird books. I remember my readers when I was in Kindergarten. I wonder if they count.

2. Did your parents read to you before bed? If so, what did they read to you?
Yes, definitely. My mum read to me for sure! I don't remember my dad doing it so much, but we used to giggle more. My mum read from a book called Bedtime Bunny Tales. Each one takes ten minutes and they are brilliant.

3. Name a movie that is better than the book.
Harry Potter springs to mind. I gave up on the books quite quickly. I just lost interest, but I love watching the movies, controversial...

4. What was the worst movie adaptation of a book?
The Shipping News. Sorry Kevin Spacey! To be fair I didn't love the book either.

5. Outdoor or indoor reading?
Outdoor, but only in the sun and out of the breeze. It has to be full on blazing to lure me out into the real world, but you bet I'm bringing a book.

6. Book you're most embarrassed to have never read?
I would love to read all of: Dickens and Austen. They're my favourites and I am always surprised I haven't read them all.

7. Most embarrassing book you have ever read?
All of the Sabrina the Teenage Witch Books...

8. Worst book you ever read or stopped reading?
OneHundredYearsOfSolitude. Does anyone have paint to watch dry? I'd be more interested.

9. Do you prefer digital or paper?
Paper, but I have a kindle for holidays and cheap books!

10. What character would you like to suckerpunch in the face?
At the moment... Emma. Two faced, and dumb as plank.

11. What character would you like to be best friends with?
Ooo maybe Lizzie Bennett. Long walks and bitching about our men? Sounds perfect. Also sounds like my current BF...

12. How many physical books do you own?
Errr, including the ones in the loft? I'm not sure anyone answering these questions can answer that specifically. I can tell you how many my SO has though: 1.

13. What book do you want to make sure to read to your children?
I'd love to read Laura Ingles Wilder with them, and The Narnia books, and things like Jungle Book, and the original fairy tales.

14. What book describes you best?
I have written a blog on this very subject. These are the books that sum-up ME at 24. If you have read all of these, you might have some insight into my reading habits and me: Books Before Marriage

15. What are you reading right now? 
Check the top right corner of this page for my 'currently reading' slot. At the time of writing it is Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

These are brilliant questions, feel free to answer them yourself as well to keep the tag going.

I tag Fangs, Claws and Wings, Chic it Yourself, Need to Read, Got to Watch, The Queen of Teen Fiction, and Books, Biscuits and Tea